Published: 31 March, 2016
by DAN CARRIER

MAURICIO Pochettino breathed a huge sigh of relief this week after watching various leading squad members come through international friendlies unscathed.

With Spurs providing Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker to England, and more than 10 other team-mates turning out for their prospective countries, the manager had faced a nervous week at Spurs Lodge as he plots the club’s final seven Premier League fixtures.

England star Alli, who shone in the 3-2 victory against Germany in Berlin, told Spurs TV he was proud to wear the Three Lions with so many of his club team-mates. He said: “It’s always great to play for your country and to do it with these lads makes it even better. It’s a big credit to Mauricio and the whole club.

And he said he and his colleagues were now ready to try to make up ground on league leaders Leicester City and deliver the first title to Tottenham in 55 years.

He said: “There are only a few games left and it’s important now that we perform well again at Tottenham and we take how we played with England back to the club.”

And Spurs were handed a further boost with the news that defender Jan Vertonghen looks ready to return to first team action. 

He has been out since January with a knee injury but is back in full training and ready to play in the games remaining.